Son, another man arrested in deaths of Bradley professor and husband

Andy Kravetz of the Journal Star @andykravetzMatt Buedel of the Journal Star @journobuedelPhil Luciano of the Journal Star @lucianophil

Monday

Oct 29, 2018 at 1:28 PMOct 29, 2018 at 9:58 PM

PRINCEVILLE — Two Princeville men were taken into custody Monday evening in connection with the deaths of a Bradley University professor and her husband.

Jose G. Ramirez, 21, of 22919 N. Maher Road has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder, while 20-year-old Matthew J. Roberts of 219 North St. has been charged with obstruction of justice and concealment of a homicidal death, said Sheriff Brian Asbell.

Susan Brill De Ramirez and Antonio Ramirez Barron were last seen Thursday. It's believed, the sheriff said, that the two have been dead since early Friday morning. Jose Ramirez is the son of Susan and Antonio Ramirez Barron.

The sheriff didn't get into specific details but said that he based the arrests off a confession that his detectives had received. Asbell confirmed later Monday that Jose Ramirez made that confession and allegedly admitted to killing his parents in the early morning hours. The confession, he said, was corroborated by evidence found at the scene.

Asbell said efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies. He said his department is working with the Department of Natural Resources and the Henry County Sheriff's Office. Jose Ramirez told police that he dropped the bodies from a bridge, possibly near the village of Annawan, a source said. Police believe he chose that location at random, not because of any particular tie to the area.

Early on Monday, at a noontime press conference, Asbell had said the couple's cars were found at the house and while some things were missing, the scene indicated some type of foul play. After he announced the arrests at about 6 p.m., he wouldn't describe what he was found at the scene, saying only that it was clear from what deputies and others found that there was there had been a struggle and acts of violence.

Detectives focused on Jose Ramirez early in the investigation, in part because tipsters called the sheriff's department to suggest his possible involvement in the deaths, a source said. Apparently, even outside the household he was known for causing "discipline problems" with his parents, the source said.

After the slayings, Jose Ramirez tried to stage a burglary at the scene in a failed effort to throw off police, a source said. So far, detectives cannot pinpoint a motive. However, they are accumulating evidence indicating a long-simmering "hatred" Ramirez held toward his parents, a source said.

Jose Ramirez is not known to have a criminal record. However, in 2011, Bradley University police filed a report on Ramirez for his writing on a mirror in the bathroom of an academic building, a source said. The message said something akin to, "I want to kill my parents," a source said. Further information about that report was not immediately available from the university.

Asbell said his office had received many calls throughout Monday, worried about the slayings. He said he wanted to reassure people that he believed this was an isolated incident and that there wasn't a person on the loose in the county.

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